Top Chef Episode Rating Graph
Mar 2006 - present

Mar 2006 - present
7.4

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Browse episode ratings trends for Top Chef. Simply click on the interactive rating graph to explore the best and worst of Top Chef's 342 episodes.
S19 Ep14
8.0
2nd Jun 2022
Aspiring chefs compete for their shot at culinary stardom.

S20 Ep13
8.0
1st Jun 2023
The final four land in Paris, the culinary capital of the world and home of the 2024 Olympics. In the Quickfire, they compete in the infamous Wall Challenge. Unbeknownst to them, their partners are no strangers to competition and are U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The chefs must work with their mystery partners to create identical plates in hopes of impressing Michelin-starred guest judge Greg Marchand. For their final Elimination Challenge, they must create a Michelin-worthy dish using one of France’s most humble ingredients: the Champignon de Paris. To help determine who will make it to the finale is a star-studded table of diners.

S17 Ep14
8.0
18th Jun 2020
In an epic Italian showdown, the final three All Stars cook the meal of their lives in an effort to take home the ultimate title and prize. To win, all they’ll need to impress not only the judges - Tom, Padma, Gail and Nilou Motamed, but also culinary superstars Mauro Colagreco, Clare Smyth, Marcus Samuelsson, Janice Wong, Tony Mantuano, Eighth Generation Italian Butcher Dario Cecchini and Food & Wine magazine’s Hunter Lewis. It’s a fight to the bitter end, but only one will be have their second chance to finally be crowned Top Chef.
S9 Ep17
7.9
29th Feb 2012
For the final challenge, each chef will take over a restaurant in Vancouver where they will have the chance to design a four-course meal for the judges and unbeknownst to them, friends and family.
S9 Ep11
7.9
18th Jan 2012
The Quickfire is on the move, except it's the ingredients that are moving—by train. Next, the chefs must access the darkness inside of them when they are asked to create "evil" on a plate.

S20 Ep11
7.9
18th May 2023
Coming into the final stretch before the finale. It’s full steam ahead as the remaining six chefs are tasked with creating a steamed dish for their Quickfire Challenge. In one of the hardest Elimination Challenges yet, the chefs are put in teams of two and must create not one, not two, but three different Wellingtons to serve 20 diners, along with Padma, Tom and Gail. The two chefs from the losing team will pack their knives.
S21 Ep14
7.9
19th Jun 2024
The three remaining chefs must create the best four-course progressive meal of their careers; the chefs will present their dishes to a lineup of culinary greats.
S18 Ep3
7.9
15th Apr 2021
The pressure is laid on the chefs in the Quickfire Challenge as they are tasked to make a layered dessert. Carrie Baird joins Padma to pick the winner, who will get their dish turned into a Talenti gelato to be sold nationwide. Gregory Gourdet and Kwame Onwuachi take the chefs on a tour of restaurants in Portland that feature food from the African diaspora. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must make dishes inspired by their tour for the judging and dining panel, as well as the restaurant’s owners.
S22 Ep8
7.9
1st May 2025
There is no Quickfire as the chefs take on the famed Restaurant Wars elimination challenge; the chefs are tasked to create two restaurants; Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by Top Chef alum Nina Compton and Top Chef Canada judge Janet Zuccarini.

S21 Ep13
7.8
12th Jun 2024
The final four chefs arrive in Curaçao for their last Quickfire Challenge and must create a dish highlighting fish and cheese to impress Kristen, Tom, Gail and local guest judge Helim Smeulders. The chefs then set sail on Holland America Line’s Eurodam where they enjoy a meal prepared by chef and Fresh Fish Ambassador Morimoto. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with showcasing different preparation styles of fish. “Top Chef” alum Ed Lee joins Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.

S20 Ep1
7.8
9th Mar 2023
To celebrate the 20th season, "Top Chef" returns for an international showdown in London; sixteen competitors, including previous winners and finalists, face off in the fiercest showdown the culinary series has seen.

S20 Ep14
7.8
8th Jun 2023
The finalists are on top of the world as they’ve made it to the finale in Paris. The final three will have the opportunity to cook the meal of their lives for Padma, Tom and Gail, along with a table of culinary luminaries. The guests include Marcus Samuelsson, May Chow, Daniela Soto-Innes, Clare Smyth, Simon Rogan, Ángel León, Food & Wine magazine’s Hunter Lewis, Michelin Guide’s International Director Gwendal Poullennec and “Top Chef France” Judge Hélène Darroze. The chefs lay it all on the table in their final challenge, but only one will take home the ultimate title of “Top Chef” World All-Star.
S18 Ep4
7.8
22nd Apr 2021
For the Quickfire Challenge, the chefs must create a dish featuring Campbell’s Soup for Padma and guest judge Dale Talde. Then, the cheftestants get thrown for a loop when they find out they won’t be shopping for their Elimination Challenge, because they’ll be picking their fruit right off of the trees in the heart of Oregon’s Fruit Loop and making a savory fruit dish without any vegetables. Melissa King and Carrie Baird join Padma, Tom and Gail at judges’ table
S22 Ep14
7.8
12th Jun 2025
For their last elimination challenge, the final three chefs must create the best progressive four-course meal of their lives; with the help of their sous chefs, the finalists must pull out all the stops to impress an esteemed table of diners.
S9 Ep16
7.8
22nd Feb 2012
Asian Masters lend a hand in a tag-team-style Quickfire. The final 3 chefs must create a dish and cocktail that fuses the concept of fire and ice into one cohesive dish, a culinary testament of their journey from blazing Texas heat to blistering Vancouver cold.
S23 Ep13
7.8
1st Jun 2026
For their final Quickfire Challenge, the chefs use a game of 20 questions to identify and recreate a dish made by Tom. The chefs are tasked with crafting dishes plated in unexpected ways, using unconventional vessels. Joining the judges are actress Liza Koshy, Michelin-starred chef Jon Yao and Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis.

S18 Ep1
7.8
1st Apr 2021
“Top Chef” is back with 15 of the country’s best chefs ready to compete in Portland, Oregon. For their first Quickfire Challenge, the cheftestants are immediately thrown into teams and tasked with combining their favorite ingredients together in one cohesive dish for Padma and Portland local Gregory Gourdet. For their Elimination Challenge, the chefs will try not to “quack” under pressure as they’re asked to create a dish featuring one of Portland’s iconic local birds. Their dishes will be served in a blind tasting for the judges and the new dining panel of “Top Chef” all-star winners, finalists and favorites. Season 17 winner Melissa King joins Padma, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table to help decide who will be the first chef to pack their knives and go.
S23 Ep1
7.8
9th Mar 2026
Top Chef travels to the Carolinas with 15 chefs. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, they meet hosts and NASCAR legends Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch for a timed cooking challenge. Then they create sweet potato dishes honoring their roots.
S9 Ep15
7.8
15th Feb 2012
The final 4 chefs arrive in Whistler, British Columbia, for a Top Chef twist on the Olympic games. From cooking on the world’s fastest gondola to a biathlon that requires marksman like precision to get the best ingredients, the chefs will need to have the concentration of a true culinary Olympian to advance to the next round in Vancouver.
S10 Ep1
7.8
7th Nov 2012
Twenty-one contestants compete for fifteen spots in real-world challenges administered by the judges.
S18 Ep11
7.8
10th Jun 2021
This week’s Quickfire Challenge takes inspiration from "Top Chef" France’s infamous Black Box challenge. In teams of two, the chefs each take a turn entering the box where they blindly taste a dish created by guest judge Gabriel Rucker and then must try to recreate it. During a night off, the chefs are surprised by guest judges Kristen Kish and Brooke Williamson arrive with care packages from their families. However, in true “Top Chef” fashion, there’s a twist and they must use the ingredients from their care packages to make their dish for the Elimination Challenge.

S21 Ep12
7.8
5th Jun 2024
In this week’s Quickfire Challenge, the chefs are tasked with identifying as many ingredients as they can in a blind taste test. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create a dish that exemplifies their culinary growth throughout their time in Wisconsin. The judges are joined by returning guest judge Paul Bartolotta.
S18 Ep8
7.8
20th May 2021
With the top eight chefs remaining, it’s time for the perennial favorite - Restaurant Wars. This year, the chefs will serve a seven course tasting menu to the judges and All-Star panel. Gregory Gourdet and Kristen Kish join the judges’ table.
S22 Ep6
7.8
17th Apr 2025
Top Chef Masters alum Susur Lee and Jet Bent-Let join Kristen for the Quickfire Challenge, where the chefs must create a dish using a limited amount of ingredients; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must create dishes that highlight pickles.
S19 Ep11
7.8
12th May 2022
The chefs head to the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Texas; chef Shota Nakajima is here to present them with their next Quickfire Challenge, using the freshest gulf shellfish to create a seafood tower with one hot and one cold dish.
S9 Ep14
7.7
8th Feb 2012
In this week’s Quickfire, the chefs must use their sense of touch, smell and taste to navigate through the pantry to gather ingredients for a dish while blindfolded. In a twist, the winning chef from Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen will re-enter the competition and join the remaining four chefs in the elimination challenge, where the chefs must create a delicious dish that will impress their mentors. Host Padma Lakshmi, along with Hugh Acheson, Gail Simmons and head judge Tom Colicchio will determine which final four chefs will advance to the finale.
S19 Ep13
7.7
26th May 2022
For their last Quickfire Challenge, the chefs make the trip to El Charro in Tuscon, Arizona, the oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in the country, where chef Carlotta Flores challenges them to create a dish featuring her carne seca.
S22 Ep12
7.7
29th May 2025
Guest judges Brenda Holder and Tracy Little teach the remaining five chefs how to forage the ingredients in the Canmore Forest; to secure their spot in Italy, the chefs will have to impress the judges by utilizing their foraged items.
S18 Ep2
7.7
8th Apr 2021
The Chefs are in for a rude awakening when they enter the kitchen to find Padma and seven hungry all-star chefs – Amar Santana, Melissa King, Kwame Onwuachi, Dale Talde, Gregory Gourdet, Carrie Baird and Richard Blais. In this Quickfire the chefs will have just 30 minutes to serve eight plates of breakfast. And if that didn’t get them buzzing, for their Elimination Challenge, they’ll have to create dishes based on two popular Portland brews – Beer or Coffee. Tom shows up with a twist, leaving the chefs to rethink their dishes hours before service. Amar Santana and Dale Talde join Padma, Tom and Gail at judges’ table.
S18 Ep6
7.7
6th May 2021
The chefs are transported into a magical kitchen forest with their prep tables gone and replaced by stumps for this week’s Quickfire Challenge where they must make a dish featuring Tom’s favorite ingredient – mushrooms. Then in the Elimination Challenge, the cheftestants will be paired up to create a surf & turf dish featuring local fish and game for members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. But first they’ll get to learn and taste some of the initial foods of the area. With a double elimination on the line, Dale Talde joins the judges’ table.
S10 Ep3
7.7
21st Nov 2012
The chefs choose international dumpling recipes for the Quickfire, and then team up with either Tom or Emeril in a Thanksgiving challenge.
S18 Ep14
7.7
1st Jul 2021
After 13 grueling weeks of competition, the chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives for their final challenge at Willamette Valley Vineyards. They’ll serve it to an esteemed table including Padma, Tom and Gail, this season’s All-Star dining panel, and a few additional noteworthy guests including Tiffany Derry, Peter Cho and Naomi Pomeroy. Former winners Melissa King and Richard Blais join the judges one last time to deliberate and crown the next Top Chef.
S10 Ep4
7.7
28th Nov 2012
First the chefs must demonstrate their knife skills, and then they board a time machine, metaphorically at least, so they can design menus from the 1950s.

S4 Ep1
7.7
12th Mar 2008
The 16 new contestants face their first QuickFire and Elimination rounds using themes from Chicago's regional cuisine.
S19 Ep3
7.7
17th Mar 2022
For their first individual challenge of the season, the chefs are surprised in the kitchen by “Top Chef” Miami winner Hung Huynh and challenged to make an Asian-inspired dish. Nothing, however, on “Top Chef” is that simple. Along with Hung, the judges and renowned chef Kiran Verma, they’ll be serving 100 guests at “Top Chef’s” first Asian Night Market.
S19 Ep9
7.7
28th Apr 2022
The chefs are tasked with creating a monochromatic plant-based dish for their Quickfire Challenge; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that speak to their souls for a block party fundraiser.
S18 Ep10
7.7
3rd Jun 2021
Ed Lee enters the kitchen and tells the chefs they will be competing tournament style; the chefs duke it out at the Portland Japanese Gardens, where they must create dishes featuring various textures of tofu.
S22 Ep1
7.7
13th Mar 2025
Several aspiring chefs compete for the coveted title of "Top Chef" while they creatively whip up a storm to escape elimination.
S10 Ep2
7.6
14th Nov 2012
The fifteen chefs who remain after last week's qualifying challenge must think on their feet and at a high elevation when a twist complicates their challenge.
S11 Ep13
7.6
8th Jan 2014
Chef Jacques Pepin tests the contestants; the contestants create French and Spanish dishes.
S18 Ep12
7.6
17th Jun 2021
As the final four chefs near the end of their journey in Portland, Padma is joined by Vitaly Paley and Gregory Gourdet to introduce an old school Quickfire Challenge paying homage to the Oregon Trail. For the Elimination Challenge, legendary chef and special guest Massimo Bottura tasks the chefs to pull inspiration from his famous parmigiano reggiano dish and create delectable dishes utilizing cheddar five different ways. To gain inspiration, the chefs embark on a tour of the Tillamook Creamery. Dale Talde and Ed Lee serve as this week’s guest judges and help determine which three chefs move forward.
S14 Ep12
7.6
16th Feb 2017
In Guadalajara, Mexico, the three remaining chefs face off against the winner of "Last Chance Kitchen'. The chefs must create a dish using goat, then they are tasked to pair their own cocktail with a dish that incorporates the notes of a margarita.
S16 Ep15
7.6
14th Mar 2019
It's the final showdown; the three remaining chefs must create the best four-course meal of their lives; Tom reveals in a twist that only two chefs will get the chance to serve their full menu; only one chef will emerge victorious.

S20 Ep2
7.6
16th Mar 2023
In the Quickfire, the chefs are challenged to make an amuse-bouche with unexpected ingredients that must fit on a Ritz cracker; the competition heats up as the chefs head to Alexandra Palace, where they must create rice dishes for 100 guests.

S9 Ep7
7.6
14th Dec 2011
The contestants must cook for an all-star table of chefs whose avocation is hunting.

S21 Ep11
7.6
29th May 2024
A familiar face returns to the competition from “Last Chance Kitchen.” In this week’s Quickfire challenge, the chefs must put their detective skills to work when Tom cooks up a dish that Kristen and Gail couldn’t resist and left little on the plate after tasting it. The chefs ask Tom a series of yes and no questions to determine what ingredients they need to recreate the dish. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs leave it all on the table when they’re tasked with serving their creations directly on a tabletop to Kristen, Tom, Gail, and guest judge and two Michelin star chef Curtis Duffy.
S18 Ep13
7.6
24th Jun 2021
The remaining chefs get an early wake-up call from Padma to go meet guest judge Brooke Williamson and dig for clams for their Quickfire Challenge. In the Elimination Challenge, the chefs honor the area where James Beard spent his summers, creating both a hot dish and a cold dish with one of his favorite ingredients, Dungeness Crab. Kwame Onwuachi and Nina Compton serve as guest judges this week to help determine which chefs will move on to the finale.

S21 Ep1
7.6
20th Mar 2024
“Top Chef” heads to Wisconsin with 15 new chefs, new rules and new host Kristen Kish. With no Quickfire Challenge this week, Kristen, Tom and Gail each task five chefs with cooking a dish they believe is a worthy test of being a good chef. The three favorites from each of the judges’ challenge will be up for the win while the three least favorite will be up for elimination. Before anyone goes home, there will be one more major twist to keep the chefs on their toes. The judges are joined by Wisconsin locals Chef Paul Bartolotta and Chef/Owner of Lupi & Iris, Adam Siegel.
S22 Ep2
7.6
20th Mar 2025
Actor Sarah Levy joins Kristen and Gail for the Quickfire Challenge, tasking the chefs to put their spin on Canada's famous poutine; for the Elimination Challenge, Daniel Boulud joins the judges' table as the chefs team up to create a brunch.

S17 Ep11
7.6
28th May 2020
Tom makes his final decision from Last Chance Kitchen on who should return to the competition. Then the chefs take off in a Quickfire with Padma and Jonathan Waxman making a two-course Business-Class dish for an airline. For their final challenge in Los Angeles before jetting off to Italy for the finale, the chefs go to Michael’s Santa Monica, where they meet Chef and Restaurateur Michael McCarty, the legendary pioneer of California Cuisine. With only five chefs moving onto the finals, the chefs will have to reimagine one of Michael’s iconic dishes from across the years and serve it to a table of celebrated alumni of Michael’s kitchen, including Roy Yamaguchi, Jonathan Waxman, Sang Yoon, Mark Peel and Brooke Williamson.

S4 Ep14
7.6
11th Jun 2008
The finalists cook "the most important meal of their lives" for the judges to determine which will be crowned Top Chef. Guest Judges/Sous Chefs: April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig Dan Barber of Blue Hill and Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin Restaurant Special Guest Judges: Alfredo Ayala and Tim Zagat Final Challenge: Create a traditional four course tasting menu
S11 Ep9
7.6
4th Dec 2013
The contestants create pop-up restaurants to impress the judges.
S22 Ep10
7.6
15th May 2025
Comedian Punkie Johnson tests the chefs' creativity when they're asked to create a dish using only items found in a Canadian convenience store; the chefs pay homage to the four seasons using only produce from Montreal's rooftop gardens.

S17 Ep1
7.6
19th Mar 2020
Fifteen of the competition’s fiercest challengers return to face-off in the toughest season yet! A mise-en-place challenge set at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles kicks off the battle, where the Chefs size each other up since last competing.
S19 Ep10
7.6
5th May 2022
The competition reaches new heights as the chefs voyage to the Houston Space Center; they'll have to create a stellar new menu item that they would crave if they were on a multi-year mission to Mars.
S11 Ep10
7.6
11th Dec 2013
The chefs must make dishes that remind them of home; Actor Anthony Mackie joins the judges.

S21 Ep8
7.6
8th May 2024
There is no Quickfire as the chefs prepare for the highly anticipated Restaurant Wars elimination challenge. Split into two teams, the chefs are tasked to conceptualize and create two restaurants that feature a three-course progressive menu with at least two options for each course. Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by “Top Chef” winner Stephanie Izard and “Top Chef” alum Kwame Onwuachi at the judges’ table.
S14 Ep13
7.6
23rd Feb 2017
The three remaining chefs head to the Yucatan Peninsula where Chef Roberto Muñoz Zurita challenges them to make a dish showcasing the flavor, complexity and heat of the legendary local habanero using ingredients from the local market. Culinary legend Jeremiah Tower gives the chefs a lesson on traditional Mayan cooking, before challenging them to create a dish using only ancient Maya ingredients and tools. The chefs will cook in an ancient cenote, or sinkhole, for a table of judges including local chefs Roberto Solis, Guillermo Beristain and Carlo Cardenas. The two chefs with the best dishes will move on to compete in the finale.
S22 Ep11
7.6
22nd May 2025
The six remaining chefs set off to Calgary where they are greeted by the judges; making pancakes for 50 diners; the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that feature beef and local berries, hoping to impress a table of culinary tastemakers.

S3 Ep15
7.6
3rd Oct 2007
The Top Chef is chosen.

S20 Ep8
7.6
27th Apr 2023
Guest judge Judy Joo surprises the chefs by challenging them to create delicious street food-inspired dishes; the chefs must get inspiration from the new "Fast X" movie for the largest and fastest mise en place race.

S4 Ep9
7.6
7th May 2008
The remaining chefs' knife skills are challenged again, followed by a wedding reception challenge which might bring the blades out for an entirely different purpose.

S4 Ep5
7.6
9th Apr 2008
The dreaded taste test is back, and even before the chefs recover from it they must cater a charity event. Ming Tsai Guest Judges this week.
S14 Ep11
7.6
9th Feb 2017
The final four chefs cook impromptu dishes while simultaneously instructing mystery partners on how to create the same dish; when the judges compare dishes, the chefs are shocked to discover their secret partners are their visiting family members.
S8 Ep16
7.6
30th Mar 2011
The remaining two chefs have no time to digest what just happened as their final challenge is immediately announced. The 2 finalists choose their sous-chefs... blindfolded!
S18 Ep5
7.6
29th Apr 2021
Amar Santana joins Padma for this week’s Quickfire Challenge honoring Mother’s Day and one of Portland’s nicknames “City of Roses.” The chefs are tasked to create a dish featuring roses or rose products inspired by the mother figure in their lives. Then, the chefs will go head-to-head at the first-ever Top Chef Drive-In where each team must create dishes based on popular movie genres. Not only will they have to impress the judges’ table with Richard Blais, but they will also need to win over the diners who will help decide who wins each round.
S11 Ep16
7.6
29th Jan 2014
Top Chef returns to Hawaii for the final rounds. Tonight, the remaining chefs must deal with Spam in the Quickfire.
S22 Ep13
7.6
5th Jun 2025
For the chefs' last quickfire challenge of the season, they're tasked with creating a classic Milanese dish and a feared dish, risotto; the chefs compete in a three-part, head-to-head culinary battle while receiving some help from Olympic athletes.

S3 Ep14
7.6
26th Sep 2007
The remaining chefs make the move to Aspen, Colorado for the semifinal and the decision of who the final two will be.

S3 Ep12
7.6
12th Sep 2007
Jimmy Canora guests on an episode that takes to the skies when the chefs take on the dreaded plane cuisine.
S23 Ep2
7.6
16th Mar 2026
For this week’s Quickfire Challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating a savory dish inspired by a sweet treat. Then the chefs head to PuckerButt Farms for a pepper tasting with Ed Currie, the inventor of the world’s hottest pepper. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are split into two teams and must create a progressively hotter menu. “Top Chef” season 12 winner Mei Lin joins Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.

S17 Ep10
7.5
21st May 2020
With only six chefs remaining, the challenges get even more difficult, when pastry super-chef Sherry Yard awaits the All Stars for a dreaded dessert Quickfire, made even more impossible when chefs must endure a blindfolded taste test to pick their ingredients. Then Michelin-starred Chefs/Restaurateurs Niki and Carole Lidi-Nakayama demonstrate a traditional Japanese Kaiseki meal, the ultimate in simplicity, restraint and precision. The chefs must make this formidable dinner for not just these Kaiseki masters, but in celebration of the Tokyo games with Olympic medalists Diana Taurasi, Rai Benjamin, Nastia Liukin, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Christian Coleman, Kerri Walsh Jennings and NBC Olympic Primetime Host Mike Tirico. The gold medal meal takes place at the iconic Los Angeles Coliseum with Padma, Tom, Nilou Motamed and Niki & Carole Lidi-Nakayama at the judges table.
S19 Ep12
7.5
19th May 2022
After saying goodbye to their loved ones and another fellow competitor, the chefs receive an ominous gift from Tom, who tells them to get up early and meet him at the docks. They'll have to find their sea legs quickly because for their Elimination Challenge each chef must create two fresh fish dishes to hook their guest judges Stephanie Izard and Daniel Boulud. The catch? They'll be fishing for all of their protein themselves.
S23 Ep10
7.5
11th May 2026
The remaining chefs head lakeside to Lake Hartwell’s legendary Green Pond Landing to face the fan favorite mise en place Quickfire Challenge with Kristen, Tom and Gail, and then head out on the water to compete in a Top Chef Fishing Derby. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create their best dish featuring the fish from the lake to impress the judges and guest judges Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks and James Beard-nominated chef James London.

S21 Ep2
7.5
27th Mar 2024
“Top Chef” Colorado winner Joe Flamm joins Kristen for the Quickfire Challenge, tasking the chefs to create a dish featuring hops. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs visit the historic Miller Caves where they must team up to serve a seven-course progressive meal featuring elevated bar snacks.
S23 Ep12
7.5
25th May 2026
Before heading back to Charlotte, the chefs make a stop in Asheville, N.C.; there is no Quickfire Challenge as the chefs explore the city with local host and former "Top Chef" alum Ashleigh Shanti, learning about the community's relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Helene while discovering the cuisine of this Appalachian region; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs host a one-night-only event for 200 community members in recognition of their resilience.

S9 Ep5
7.5
30th Nov 2011
The chefs must create a dish using what they can find in a standard survival kit, then they have to shift gears and cater dinner to high society.
S15 Ep1
7.5
7th Dec 2017
A diverse group of chefs enter the Top Chef kitchen in Denver and are immediately put to work, tasked with making a pot luck dish to introduce themselves to the judges and their fellow competitors. Then the cheftestants prepare their modern take on a meat and potatoes dish for a blow-out block party in Larimer Square with 200 diners and Denver's biggest culinary names, including Hosea Rosenberg, Troy Guard, Frank Bonanno and Gregory Gourdet. The chefs learn the importance of the phrase 'first impressions are everything.'
S19 Ep4
7.5
24th Mar 2022
The chefs are joined by local chef Chris Williams in the Quickfire Challenge; He tasks the chefs to put their own twist on a biscuit dish in honor of his great grandmother, Lucille B. Smith.

S20 Ep6
7.5
13th Apr 2023
The chefs take a trip to Highclere Castle for the Elimination Challenge, where they must work together to create and serve an elevated picnic basket.
S18 Ep7
7.5
13th May 2021
The winner of the first part of Last Chance Kitchen rejoins the competition just in time for their “second chance” Quickfire Challenge where the Chefs are tasked with redoing a past failed dish for guest judge Melissa King. Then in an emotional Elimination Challenge Chef José Andrés calls in to recruit the chefs to join World Central Kitchen, his nonprofit organization that provides meals for victims of natural disasters, tasking the chefs with delivering over 500 meals to frontline workers at 3 local hospitals in Portland. Kwame Onwuachi will serve as the All-Star guest judge this week.
S14 Ep3
7.5
15th Dec 2016
The chefs divide into teams to compete in a "mise en place" race. The foodies must also create a seven-course progressive meal featuring the humble radish in front of "Top Chef" superfans. The guest judges are Chris Cosentino and Richard Blais.
S11 Ep15
7.5
22nd Jan 2014
The chefs battle for a new car in the Quickfire; the chefs must show how New Orleans has impacted their food.

S3 Ep11
7.5
5th Sep 2007
Chef Michael Schwartz helps to judge challenges that involve a cruise ship buffet and creativity in a grocery store.
S22 Ep4
7.5
3rd Apr 2025
Actor Michael Cera joins Kristen in the kitchen for the Quickfire Challenge, where the chefs' trivia skills are put to the test; for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must put their own spin on some of Canada's most iconic confections.

S4 Ep13
7.5
4th Jun 2008
There are four chefs and only three spots for the final round, and the contestants know it as they travel to Puerto Rico for the next two challenges. Guest Judge - Wilo Benet QuickFire Challenge: Make Two Frituras featuring Plantains Elimination Challenge: Use a Whole Pig to create Dishes for a Governor's Mansion Event
S22 Ep5
7.5
10th Apr 2025
The chefs are taken by surprise when a Last Chance Kitchen chef joins the competition; the chefs' collaboration skills are put to the ultimate test as this time is a double elimination.

S21 Ep9
7.5
15th May 2024
Kristen is joined by judges Tom and Gail for this week’s Quickfire Challenge as the chefs are tasked to create dishes featuring cranberries in a unique way. The chefs are then treated to a special meal prepared by celebrated Indigenous chefs and guest judges Sean Sherman and Elean Terry. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must prepare modern dishes using only indigenous ingredients.

S12 Ep3
7.5
29th Oct 2014
In a nod to the Boston Tea Party, the contestants must use tea to enhance their dishes for guest judge Ming Tsai; Fenway Park hosts a competition in which the chefs must use ballpark snacks to create fine-dining dishes.
S19 Ep8
7.5
21st Apr 2022
The chefs are put to the ultimate test; they have to build restaurants from the ground up; Top Chef's signature challenge levels up yet again, requiring the chefs to satisfy their VIP counter and a dining room full of guests.

S20 Ep4
7.5
30th Mar 2023
The chefs are tasked with creating a beloved English classic: the biscuit; the chefs head to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a football-themed team challenge; the teams that succeed are safe while the rest are relegated and must compete again.
S14 Ep8
7.5
19th Jan 2017
The iconic Restaurant Wars challenge features the chefs dividing into teams to design a restaurant and create a cohesive menu, but the heat is on when egos collide and tempers flare. Appearing: chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara.

S20 Ep7
7.5
20th Apr 2023
The chefs learn Gaggan Anand is the guest judge; they must create a dish inspired by an emoji and are tasked with creating a plate with a message that's visually stunning and can be eaten without utensils.
S12 Ep9
6.6
17th Dec 2014
The chefs are challenged to concoct a tasty sausage dish for NFL player Rob Gronkowski; the chefs create dishes inspired by famous New England authors, such as Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson.

S2 Ep4
6.7
8th Nov 2006
Attention to detail will be rated during this round. The chefs are asked to create a tidbit from not so tidbit-y choices, and then must serve a meal to kids at a fitness camp. Guest Judge: Suzanne Goin QuickFire Challenge: Create an Amuse-Bouche. Elimination Challenge: Create a Meal That Does not Exceed 500 Calories.
S8 Ep14
6.8
16th Mar 2011
The contestants cater a yacht club's anniversary party, but only after they have gone conch fishing.
S12 Ep14
6.8
4th Feb 2015
The chefs have to make two dishes with chocolate with one being sweet and the other savory.

S2 Ep13
6.8
31st Jan 2007
The final two contestants battle for the title of "Top Chef." Guest Judge: Hubert Keller Final Challenge: Cook the Best Five Course Meal Each Chef has Ever Prepared in his Life.

S3 Ep4
6.9
11th Jul 2007
The contestants mix it up with Bombay Sapphire mixologist Jamie Walker, and then ply their trade at a gastronomic society. Barton G. Weiss of Miami's Barton G. the Restaurant serves as guest judge.

S6 Ep9
6.9
21st Oct 2009
Chef Rick Moonen's restaurant is taken over by the contestants and then he serves as their guest judge.

S7 Ep5
6.9
14th Jul 2010
Fresh is best tonight as the chefs gather crabs for the Quickfire, and then travel to a Virginia farm where its bounty will supply the ingredients for dinner.

S1 Ep8
6.9
26th Apr 2006
Teams compete for the chance to cater a commitment ceremony.

S7 Ep6
6.9
21st Jul 2010
The chefs are divided into teams to concoct entrées in a form best served cold.

S8 Ep4
6.9
22nd Dec 2010
The chefs unexpectedly find themselves without even their knives when they are asked to make stuffing. Next up is catering an event at the U.S. Open.
S12 Ep10
6.9
7th Jan 2015
The chefs flash back to their college days when they must prepare a ramen noodle dish judged by Andy Cohen and his college roommate, Dave Ansel; chef Jacques Pepin challenges the chefs to create a dish inspired by Julia Child's cooking techniques.

S2 Ep5
6.9
15th Nov 2006
This round is all about leftovers and the chefs’ ability to be creative with difficult ingredients. They must make fine cuisine from truly disgusting fare, and then create a multi-course affair from only a restaurant’s refrigerated remains of the night before. Guest Judge: Michelle Bernstein QuickFire Challenge: Create a Dish using "Offal" the Leftover Parts of Animals. Elimination Challenge: Create a Luncheon for Sixty Using the Leftovers from the Social Menu.

S2 Ep2
7.0
25th Oct 2006
An Asian culinary theme runs through this episode's challenges. First the contestants put their own twists on sushi, then they work as teams to participate in a charity event. Guest Judge: Hiroshi Shima – QuickFire Challenge. Guest Judge: Ming Tsai – Elimination Challenge QuickFire Challenge: Create a Sushi Dish in 30 Minutes. Elimination Challenge: Work as Two Teams to Create One Hot and One Cold Dish Using Flavors from Korea and Vietnam.
S13 Ep3
7.0
10th Dec 2015
The chefs visit Santa Barbara, where they pick up fresh sea urchin for use in a challenge. Later, a surf-and-turf war erupts.

S2 Ep10
7.0
10th Jan 2007
This round's theme deals with vision and execution, challenging the chefs' to create original ideas that can also be achieved. First up is snack food limited by three condiments, then on to this season's version of "Restaurant Wars". Guest Judge: Mike Yakura Kraft QuickFire Challenge: Create a Gourmet Snack Dish. Elimination Challenge: Create a Restaurant Concept & Menu, then Execute It with Your Team.

S6 Ep10
7.0
28th Oct 2009
The chefs head to Las Vegas to visit "Craft Steak" and cook for actress Natalie Portman and friends.
S13 Ep5
7.0
7th Jan 2016
Top dishes for dates are served up by the chefs in Palm Springs, Cal. Later, they cater a wedding for 25 gay couples. Appearing: model Chrissy Teigen and foodie Art Smith.
S15 Ep2
7.0
14th Dec 2017
In one of Top Chef's signature Quickfires, the chefs battle against each other in a fierce Mise En Place relay. Then, acclaimed local Chef Alex Seidel invites the group to his farm to learn about his take on farm-to-table cuisine. There, they are tasked with creating a progressive meal incorporating a mystery ingredient from the farm into each dish. In this first team challenge, the sparks fly as the chefs get to know each other.

S1 Ep6
7.0
12th Apr 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants are put under some serious money restraints. They have to choose from ingredients that are put in front of them that are priced by the pound and can only spend up to three dollars, but all the food on the Top Chef pantry was free.

S3 Ep16
7.0
10th Oct 2007
The cast and contestants get together to reminisce about the season and answer questions.

S5 Ep4
7.0
3rd Dec 2008
After creating a breakfast amuse-bouche for the quickfire, the contestants compete in a live food demonstration challenge in order to earn a booking on "Today."

S6 Ep6
7.0
23rd Sep 2009
The contestants deconstruct a classic dish for magicians Penn & Teller. Chef Michelle Bernstein serves as a guest judge.

S6 Ep8
7.0
14th Oct 2009
The chefs head to guest judge Charlie Palmer's Aureole restaurant to host a ``Pig and Pinot'' event.

S7 Ep7
7.0
28th Jul 2010
The contestants prepare lunch for the movers and shakers at one of the city's most famous restaurants.

S7 Ep8
7.0
4th Aug 2010
The chefs test their version of Ethiopian cuisine with Top Chef Masters' Marcus Samuelsson, and then must create a dish inspired by one of the foreign embassies there in the district.
S12 Ep12
7.0
21st Jan 2015
In honor of their last quick-fire challenge in "Beantown," the chefs must prepare an innovative bean dish; the chefs compete for a spot in the finals by creating dishes that exemplify the future of cooking.
S15 Ep10
7.0
8th Feb 2018
The chefs put their scariest nightmares on a plate in dessert form during a Quickfire set at the iconic Stanley Hotel, the site that inspired Stephen King's "The Shining." The chefs offer a dish to John Hickenlooper, the governor of Colorado.
S13 Ep4
7.0
17th Dec 2015
Palm Springs, Cal., is the destination for culinary competition. Here, the chefs use solar-powered stoves in the desert, then prepare dishes on a famed golf course. Appearing: John Besh and Mary Sue Milliken.

S6 Ep12
7.0
11th Nov 2009
The chefs must make the perfect breakfast in bed dish. Nigella Lawson serves as guest judge.

S7 Ep9
7.0
11th Aug 2010
The most anticipated and, arguably, the hardest challenge of the competition returns as the remaining chefs divide into two teams to conceive and debut their restaurants.
S8 Ep13
7.0
9th Mar 2011
The chefs set sail for the Bahamas, and each participates in a culinary duel against the person who was crowned the winner during their first stint on the show. Later, they create meals for Bahamian royalty, but it's a royal pain with limited cooking equipment.

S8 Ep6
7.0
12th Jan 2011
Contestants are taken on a fishing expedition.

S5 Ep7
7.0
7th Jan 2009
The chefs must create a sweet dish without using sugar (guest judge: chef and restaurateur Jean-Christophe Novelli). In the elimination challenge, chefs prepare a family-style meal for blind judging.
S13 Ep2
7.0
3rd Dec 2015
The foodies must open distinct pop-up restaurants in various Los Angeles neighborhoods. Appearing: chef and pop-up impresario Ludo Lefebvre.
S8 Ep12
7.0
2nd Mar 2011
The chefs need to make something out of nothing; the contestants head to Ellis Island, where they must make a dish based on their heritage.
S13 Ep12
7.1
25th Feb 2016
A showdown includes woks when the chefs visit San Francisco's Chinatown. Later, they must
S13 Ep1
7.1
2nd Dec 2015
Top chefs arrive in Los Angeles in the opener of Season 13, which will feature the foodies competing in six cities across California. Here, they try to wow food critics and reporters under the Hollywood sign.
S13 Ep6
7.1
14th Jan 2016
The chefs head to San Diego and cook up high-end fish tacos. Then, they prepare dishes to complement handcrafted microbrews. Appearing: chef Javier Plascenia.

S1 Ep3
7.1
22nd Mar 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants have to cook with octopus. For the elimination round the contestants are put into two teams: Red and Blue. They have to cook monk fish specialties for the kids at the Boys and Girls Club of America.

S6 Ep2
7.1
26th Aug 2009
The male chefs and the female chefs compete in a battle of the sexes in catering a poolside bachelor and bachelorette party.

S6 Ep3
7.1
2nd Sep 2009
The chefs will be creating meals for the US Air Force Thunderbirds, the most renowned aircraft demonstration squadron.

S3 Ep1
7.1
13th Jun 2007
Getting to know each other is the theme for this first round. The new crop of fifteen chefs arrives in Miami, and then they are given two challenges – one with leftovers – to introduce themselves and their cooking to their fellow contestants and the judges. Guest Judge: Anthony Bourdain. QuickFire Challenge: Create an Amuse-Bouche in 10 Minutes Elimination Challenge: Create a Surf & Turf Dish Using Exotic Ingredients

S6 Ep4
7.1
9th Sep 2009
The contestants pair up to create the perfect French dish for acclaimed chefs Joël Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, Laurent Tourondel and Jean Joho.

S6 Ep13
7.1
18th Nov 2009
A challenge based on the Bocuse d'Or. Guest judges include Jerome Bocuse and Thomas Keller.

S6 Ep7
7.1
7th Oct 2009
A slot machine determines the guidelines for the quick-fire challenge; the contestants prepare a special dinner for members of the Macy's Culinary Council.
S23 Ep5
7.1
6th Apr 2026
This week the chefs are visited by North Carolina’s own Fortune Feimster as she challenges them to improv their Quickfire dishes and serve them to kids in honor of Comic Relief. Then the chefs are tasked with creating dishes featuring dehydration. They’ll serve their dishes to Kristen, Tom and Gail along with guest judges Joe & Katy Kindred as well as “Top Chef” alum Savannah Miller at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

S3 Ep8
7.1
8th Aug 2007
This round's theme is guilty pleasures. First the chefs must work with Summer's guilty institution, ice cream, and then they move on to Miami's night life, but there's a surprise in store for them. Guest Judge: Govind Armstrong QuickFire Challenge: Coldstone Creamery Mix-in Challenge (Create Original Mix-ins for Their Sweet Cream Flavor). Elimination Challenge: Create Late Night Bar food in a Mobile Kitchen.
S16 Ep2
7.1
13th Dec 2018
A pregnant Gail Simmons asks the chefs to feed her cravings; the chefs head to Makers Mark, the oldest U.S. distillery, to put their spins on a meal full of Kentucky classics, including burgoo, Benedictine, mutton, hoe cakes, and dumplings.
S12 Ep8
7.1
10th Dec 2014
The chefs must cook chowder for chef Jasper White; eliminated chefs return; for the Elimination Challenge, the kitchen opens its doors for the first time ever for a tasting party with "Top Chef" super fans.

S2 Ep11
7.1
17th Jan 2007
The sensuality of food runs through this round's challenges as the five remaining chefs are asked to determine what they want the diner to experience and then create a dish that carries this through. First up is everything chocolate, then they must prepare a meal for couples who are all celebrating anniversaries. Guest Judge: Eric Ripert Nestlé Chocolatier QuickFire Challenge: Create a Sweet or Savory Dish using Nestlé Chocolatier. Elimination Challenge: Create a Romantic Dinner with Paired Wines.
S15 Ep9
7.1
1st Feb 2018
Cooking for Michelin-starred chef David Kinch adds pressure to an already stressful Sudden Death Quickfire based on edible flowers. The chefs host the ultimate tailgate party at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the home of the Denver Broncos.

S8 Ep2
7.1
8th Dec 2010
Joe Jonas challenges chefs to create a snack for children; breakfasts inspired by a dinosaur's diet.

S5 Ep11
7.1
4th Feb 2009
After a three-round fish filleting tournament, the contestants cook at Le Bernadin where their final product will be judged by chef Eric Ripert.

S2 Ep6
7.1
22nd Nov 2006
Taking the traditional and turning it on its ear is tonight's theme. The chefs are asked to make canned food pretty, and then a smaller group must make a "cutting edge" Thanksgiving dinner. Guest Judge: Anthony Bourdain QuickFire Challenge: Create a Tasty Dish Using at Least Three Canned Ingredients. Elimination Challenge: Create a Thanksgiving Meal with a Twist.

S1 Ep4
7.1
29th Mar 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants are brought to a convenience store to buy ingredients for their dish. For the elimination round the contestants must create a delicious entree that can be reheated in a microwave for women at a local Junior League.

S7 Ep11
7.1
25th Aug 2010
The contestants take on America's favorite pastime when they take over the concession stands at the Washington Nationals' home, Nationals Park.

S7 Ep14
7.1
15th Sep 2010
The remaining three chefs attempt to cook the best meal of each of their lives hoping to be named Top Chef.

S1 Ep2
7.1
15th Mar 2006
For this episode the contestants have to impress Elizabeth Falkner the owner of Citizen Cake. For the elimination challenge the turn up the heat with a "Sexy Dessert" contest for a fetish party for Mistress S.

S6 Ep11
7.1
4th Nov 2009
Past chefs recount their favorite moments from the series.
S16 Ep1
7.1
6th Dec 2018
In Kentucky, 15 chefs are off to the races at Churchill Downs for the the ride of their lives; the chefs must make a dish that will appeal to a crowd of 200 at a Kentucky Derby party; Churchill Downs' own chef David Danielson serves as guest judge.

S5 Ep10
7.1
28th Jan 2009
A Super Bowl cook-off against seven all-stars from previous seasons.

S1 Ep7
7.1
19th Apr 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants must make a gourmet sandwich. The winner doesn't get immunity but a sandwich on chef Tom Colicchio's menu at his new sandwich restaurant. For the Elimination Challenge the contestants are put into teams and have to basically create a restaurant and menu. The restaurants would be set up in two different rooms in the same building, both visible from the entrance. The menus will be displayed in the waiting area so the customers can choose which restaurant they want to eat at, then rate their dining experience.

S2 Ep3
7.2
1st Nov 2006
The 13 remaining contestants are asked to make food for everyday people: beach goers and firemen. Guest Judge: Stephen Bulgarelli. QuickFire Challenge: Create an Original Ice Cream Flavor. T.G.I. Friday's Elimination Challenge: Create a Dish Updating a Childhood Classic.
S11 Ep5
7.2
30th Oct 2013
Tools and ingredients are wrapped in aluminum foil; the chefs cater a Halloween party for singer/actress Lea Michele, and the food must be spooky and vegetarian.

S3 Ep2
7.2
20th Jun 2007
Tonight's theme is sunshine, and first the contestants must use a product of that sunshine, citrus. Then they are asked to demonstrate their catering skills at an event which requires sunshine, a gourmet BBQ party. Guest Chef: Norman Van Aken QuickFire Challenge: Create a Dish Using Florida Citrus Kingsford Elimination Challenge: Create an Upscale BBQ Dish

S3 Ep10
7.2
22nd Aug 2007
Chef Geoffrey Zakarian guest judges a relay race challenge. The chefs get another try at "Restaurant Wars," continued from last episode.

S1 Ep5
7.2
5th Apr 2006
For the quickfire challenge, the contestants are brought into an isolated room with many random exotic foods. They have to guess what they are with a blindfold on. For the elimination challenge the contestants are put into pairs and have to make fusion dishes with Latin and one other type of cuisine.

S12 Ep6
7.2
19th Nov 2014
The chefs trek through a bog to gather cranberries; the chefs cook a Thanksgiving feast using only ingredients and cooking methods found in the 1600s; descendants of the Mayflower colonists and Wampanoag tribe join the judges at the table.
S13 Ep7
7.2
21st Jan 2016
The chefs return to Los Angeles to celebrate the series' 10th anniversary. A restrictive challenge limits them to 10 ingredients, then they walk down memory lane by creating a dish that represents who they were 10 years ago. Appearing: Michael Voltaggio; Antonia Lofaso; Mei Lin Hua; and Nancy Silverton.
S13 Ep8
7.2
28th Jan 2016
The chefs participate in a plating challenge by preparing visually appealing dishes using only snack food. Then, they cook for diners at a black-tie, finger-food event called Beefsteak. Appearing: Colin Hanks; Max Silvestri; Matt Selman; Jacques La Merde; and Neal Fraser.

S2 Ep12
7.2
24th Jan 2007
Location, location, location! The remaining chefs travel to Hawaii for this round, and must use food native to the island for a luau that ends with naming the final contestants. Guest Judge: Alan Wong QuickFire Challenge: There is none in this round. Elimination Challenge: Prepare a Birthday Luau, Reformulating Traditional Luau Fare into each Chef's Own Style. Round Twelve.

S3 Ep6
7.2
25th Jul 2007
In a special episode, Bravo's Andy Cohen sits down with past and current contestants to explore their experiences in the competition

S7 Ep2
7.2
23rd Jun 2010
The chefs are asked to do their part to help end childhood obesity and support First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" national initiative by serving a healthy lunch at a local middle school. Guest Judge: White House chef Sam Kass
S16 Ep10
7.2
7th Feb 2019
"Top Chef" alum Ed Lee drops by for a Quickfire that's part trivia, part culinary creativity; Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats host a concession-stand cook-off in Rupp Arena; Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis joins the judges.
S9 Ep13
7.2
1st Feb 2012
In this week’s Quickfire, Pee-wee Herman stops by and the chefs are tasked to create his favorite breakfast dish – pancakes! But this isn’t any old pancake. The Chefs are challenged to be as creative as possible when making their batter, toppings and presentation. In "Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” Pee-wee learned a lot about searching the streets and asking for help. For the elimination challenge, the chefs are set loose in downtown San Antonio with a bike and $100, where they must find their ingredients and create a dish for Pee-wee’s dinner party. Pee-wee Herman joins Gail Simmons, head judge Tom Colicchio, and host Padma Lakshmi at judges’ table.
S11 Ep12
7.2
1st Jan 2014
The contestants create their own versions of etouffe; seafood dishes.

S5 Ep3
7.2
26th Nov 2008
For the quickfire, the chefs recreate dishes from the Top Chef cookbook. In the elimination challenge, they cook Thanksgiving dinner for the Foo Fighters at the band's tour stop in Syracuse, N.Y.

S5 Ep6
7.2
17th Dec 2008
Domestic guru Martha Stewart oversees the quick fire challenge in this holiday-themed edition. Then, actress Natasha Richardson is the guest judge when the cooks cater a Christmas cocktail party in which the proceeds go to the AIDS research.

S5 Ep8
7.2
14th Jan 2009
Contestants shop for fresh ingredients at a farm and then create a dinner for the farm workers.

S8 Ep1
7.2
1st Dec 2010
Bravo's Top Chef congregates a dream team of 18 past cheftestants who nearly won the title to return to see if they have what it takes. The 2010 Primetime Emmy Award-winning Top Chef returns to New York City for Season 8 with host Padma Lakshmi and head judge chef Tom Colicchio, alongside judges Gail Simmons and new this season, best-selling author and chef, Anthony Bourdain.
S23 Ep3
7.2
23rd Mar 2026
Legendary Chef Emeril Lagasse joins Kristen in the kitchen for this week’s Quickfire Challenge where the chefs are tasked with giving livermush a makeover. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must honor North Carolina’s rich textile history by incorporating natural food-dyed elements into their dishes. Flour Shop founder Amirah Kassem joins Emeril, Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.
S23 Ep4
7.2
30th Mar 2026
In a Quickfire Challenge honoring the Wright Brothers’ first flight in North Carolina, the chefs must team up to create a trio of dishes that take off alongside a curated wine flight. Then, in the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must turn classic Southern sides into standout main course dishes. The judges are joined by last season’s winner Tristen Epps-Long and acclaimed James Beard-nominated chef Greg Collier.

S12 Ep5
7.2
12th Nov 2014
In a head-to-head challenge, the chefs cook for guest judge Jamie Bissonnette; the chefs make dishes on a lean military budget at the historic Watertown Arsenal.

S5 Ep9
7.2
21st Jan 2009
Two teams have 24 hours to design and open competing restaurants.

S12 Ep1
7.2
15th Oct 2014
The wicked-awesome supersized season premiere introduces the 16 chefs from across the country who will be battling it out in Boston. Richard Blais (“Top Chef All-Stars” winner) joins Tom, Padma and Gail at judges table. The chef’testants are immediately thrown into hot water with the series’ first ever Sudden Death Quickfire Challenge where one chef is forced to cook for their life to stay in the competition. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must cook and serve a re-imagined version of the first dish they ever remember making, but will this trip down memory lane be a dream come true or a nightmare for the chefs? The challenge plays out at the first ever “Top Chef Food Festival” alongside some of Boston’s most prominent culinary stars including Barbara Lynch, Ming Tsai, Lydia Shire, Jasper White, Todd English, Ken Oringer, Jamie Bissonnette, Kristen Kish and Tiffani Faison.
S15 Ep12
7.2
22nd Feb 2018
The Voltaggio brothers reunite on the show for the first time since competing against each other. Their first task is judging the Rocky Mountain Oyster Quickfire. Then, they reunite the chefs with surprise visitors from home in an emotionally charged Elimination Challenge, where one chef will pack their knives before the next leg of the finals in Aspen.
S23 Ep14
7.2
8th Jun 2026
The final three chefs are asked to create the best progressive four-course meal of their lives; the finalists must impress an esteemed table of diners, including Hunter Lewis, Editor-In-Chief of Food & Wine magazine; chefs Eric Ferguson, Camari Mick and Nok Suntaranon, and Top Chef alums Sara Bradley, Joe Flamm and Stephanie Izard. At the judges' table, Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by chefs Brandon Jew and Val Cantu to determine who will be named the next Top Chef.
S14 Ep7
7.2
12th Jan 2017
Ingredients and the element of the chefs' zodiac sign must correspond. Later, the food fighters divide into teams to throw a pirate-themed bash, during which they must race through Charleston in a treasure hunt to collect their ingredients. Appearing: Michael Cimarusti and Graham Elliot.

S3 Ep9
7.2
15th Aug 2007
The chefs are told that they must create the perfect burger. Then, they must create a new restaurant concept, including a great menu. Chef Daniel Boulud is the guest judge.

S6 Ep16
7.2
16th Dec 2009
Chefs and judges reminisce about the season and answer viewer questions.
S11 Ep17
7.2
5th Feb 2014
The two remaining chefs open pop-up restaurants for the final challenge.
S19 Ep7
7.2
14th Apr 2022
The chefs expand their horizons in a master class on Nigerian flavors guided by local chef Ope Amosu and all-star Kwame Onwuachi, and need to make a stew that pairs perfectly with traditional Nigerian swallows.

S1 Ep1
7.5
8th Mar 2006
In the first episode of the series we meet the 12 contestants. For the quickfire challenge they are tested in Fleur de Lys (a San Fransisco restaurant). For the elimination challenge each chef must make their specialty.

S1 Ep2
7.1
15th Mar 2006
For this episode the contestants have to impress Elizabeth Falkner the owner of Citizen Cake. For the elimination challenge the turn up the heat with a "Sexy Dessert" contest for a fetish party for Mistress S.

S1 Ep3
7.1
22nd Mar 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants have to cook with octopus. For the elimination round the contestants are put into two teams: Red and Blue. They have to cook monk fish specialties for the kids at the Boys and Girls Club of America.

S1 Ep4
7.1
29th Mar 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants are brought to a convenience store to buy ingredients for their dish. For the elimination round the contestants must create a delicious entree that can be reheated in a microwave for women at a local Junior League.

S1 Ep5
7.2
5th Apr 2006
For the quickfire challenge, the contestants are brought into an isolated room with many random exotic foods. They have to guess what they are with a blindfold on. For the elimination challenge the contestants are put into pairs and have to make fusion dishes with Latin and one other type of cuisine.

S1 Ep6
7.0
12th Apr 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants are put under some serious money restraints. They have to choose from ingredients that are put in front of them that are priced by the pound and can only spend up to three dollars, but all the food on the Top Chef pantry was free.

S1 Ep7
7.1
19th Apr 2006
For the quickfire challenge the contestants must make a gourmet sandwich. The winner doesn't get immunity but a sandwich on chef Tom Colicchio's menu at his new sandwich restaurant. For the Elimination Challenge the contestants are put into teams and have to basically create a restaurant and menu. The restaurants would be set up in two different rooms in the same building, both visible from the entrance. The menus will be displayed in the waiting area so the customers can choose which restaurant they want to eat at, then rate their dining experience.

S1 Ep8
6.9
26th Apr 2006
Teams compete for the chance to cater a commitment ceremony.

S1 Ep9
7.2
3rd May 2006
The four remaining contestants cook for some of Napa Valley's most respected chefs.

S1 Ep10
7.4
10th May 2006
Contestants reminisce about the competition.

S1 Ep12
7.4
24th May 2006
The final two contestants compete in the last elimination round to see who will become Top Chef.
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The first episode of Top Chef aired on March 08, 2006.
The last episode of Top Chef aired on June 08, 2026.
There are 342 episodes of Top Chef.
There are 23 seasons of Top Chef.
Yes.
Top Chef is set to return for future episodes.